Thank you for purchasing the following enhanced e-book —another quality product from

 ______________________________________
Daily 
Warm-Up
10
Nonfiction: Current Events
Meteorites on Earth
On February 15, 2013, a meteorite exploded over the 
Ural Mountains of Russia. The Chelyabinsk Meteor 
was estimated to be 49 feet wide and weigh 10 tons.
Before crashing into Earth, it was traveling at over 
41,000 miles per hour. That is nearly 60 times the speed 
of sound. The meteorite entered Earth’s atmosphere at 
a great speed and shallow entry. It exploded in the air 
at a height of 76,000 feet, which is over 14 miles. The 
blast was 20 to 30 times stronger than the atomic bomb 
used in World War II. It was brighter than the sun.
More than one thousand people were injured as a result 
of debris from sonic waves caused by the explosion.
More than one million square feet of building glass 
shattered. Some meteorite fragments fell in a reservoir 
outside the town of Chebarkul, but no people were 
struck by the meteorite or fragments. The crash left a 
26-foot-wide crater in the ice.
How many meteors strike the Earth? No one knows 
how many impacts have occurred over time, but more 
and more recordings are being made. The Meteoritical 
Society and other agencies track meteorites that strike 
Earth’s surface. At least two impacts were recorded
for 2012.
A major impact event is one that could cause the end of 
civilization. Some scientists believe that 65 million 
years ago, meteor strikes were the primary cause of the 
extinction of dinosaurs. This violent event is now 
known as the Late Heavy Bombardment. 
Every year, NASA publishes dates when meteor 
showers are visible. Meteors become meteorites when 
they impact Earth, which happens rarely.
Text Questions
● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●